Read The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems Online
Authors: John Milton,Burton Raffel
Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Literary Collections, #Poetry, #Classics, #English; Irish; Scottish; Welsh, #English poetry
91 | | Moved the Creator, in His holy rest |
92 | | Through all eternity, so late |
93 | | In Chaos, and the work begun, how soon |
94 | | Absolved. |
95 | | What we, not to explore the secrets, ask |
96 | | Of His eternal empire, but the more |
97 | | To magnify His works, the more we know. |
98 | | And the great light of day yet wants |
99 | | Much of his race, though steep. Suspense in Heav’n, |
100 | | Held by thy voice, thy potent voice he hears, |
101 | | And longer will delay to hear thee tell |
102 | | His generation, |
103 | | |
104 | | Or if the star of ev’ning and the moon |
105 | | Haste to thy audience, night with her will bring |
106 | | Silence—and sleep, list’ning to thee, will watch, |
107 | | Or we can bid |
108 | | End, and dismiss |
109 | | Thus Adam his illustrious guest besought, |
110 | | And thus the godlike Angel answered mild: |
111 | | |
112 | | Obtain, though to recount Almighty works |
113 | | What words or tongue of Seraph can suffice, |
114 | | Or heart of man suffice to comprehend? |
115 | | Yet what thou canst attain, |
116 | | To glorify the Maker, and infer |
117 | | Thee also happier, shall not be withheld |
118 | | Thy hearing. Such commission from above |
119 | | I have received, to answer thy desire |
120 | | Of knowledge within bounds. Beyond, |
121 | | To ask, nor let thine own inventions |
122 | | Things not revealed, which the invisible King, |
123 | | |
124 | | To none communicable in earth or Heaven: |
125 | | Enough is left besides to search and know. |
126 | | But knowledge is as food, and needs no less |
127 | | Her temp’rance over appetite, to know |
128 | | In measure what the mind may well contain, |
129 | | Oppresses else with surfeit, and soon turns |
130 | | Wisdom to folly, as nourishment to wind. |
131 | | |
132 | | (So call him, brighter once amidst the host |
133 | | Of Angels than that star |
134 | | Fell with his flaming legions through the deep |
135 | | Into his place, and the great Son returned |
136 | | Victorious with his Saints, the Omnipotent |
137 | | Eternal Father from His throne beheld |
138 | | Their multitude, and to His Son thus spoke: |
139 | | |
140 | | All |
141 | | This inaccessible high strength, the seat |
142 | | Of Deity supreme, us dispossessed, |
143 | | He trusted to have seized, and into fraud |
144 | | Drew many, whom their place knows here no more. |
145 | | Yet far the greater part have kept, I see, |
146 | | Their station. |
147 | | Number sufficient to possess |
148 | | Though wide, and this high temple to frequent |
149 | | With ministeries |
150 | | But lest his heart exalt him in the harm |
151 | | Already done, to have dispeopled Heav’n, |
152 | | |
153 | | That detriment, |
154 | | Self-lost, and in a moment will create |
155 | | Another world, out of one man a race |
156 | | Of men innumerable, there to dwell, |
157 | | Not here, till by degrees of merit raised |
158 | | They open to themselves at length the way |
159 | | Up hither, under long obedience tried, |
160 | | And earth be changed to Heav’n, and Heav’n to earth, |
161 | | One kingdom, joy and union without end. |
162 | | Meanwhile inhabit lax, |
163 | | And thou my Word, begotten Son, by thee |
164 | | This I perform. Speak thou, and be it done! |
165 | | My overshadowing |
166 | | I send along. Ride forth, and bid the deep |
167 | | Within appointed bounds be Heav’n and earth— |
168 | | Boundless the deep, because I Am who fill |
169 | | Infinitude, nor vacuous the space. |
170 | | Though I, uncircumscribed myself, retire, |
171 | | And put not forth my goodness, which is free |
172 | | To act or not, necessity and chance |
173 | | Approach not me, and what I will is fate. |
174 | | |
175 | | His Word, the Filial Godhead gave effect. |
176 | | Immediate are the acts of God, more swift |
177 | | Than time or motion, but to human ears |
178 | | Cannot without process of speech be told, |
179 | | So told as earthly notion can receive. |
180 | | Great triumph and rejoicing was in Heav’n, |
181 | | When such was heard declared th’Almighty’s will. |
182 | | Glory they sung to the Most High, good will |